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Help SAVE this archive : Tufnol

T

tufnolman

Brummie babby
First Post Tufnol
I have a large archive of images from Tufnol that will be disposed of shortly unless any one can take them. They are stored in several two drawer filing cabinets and a few large ledgers. THey can be viewed in Shrewsbury. If you have an interest please contact me on 07976290027. Thanks , Colin
 
tufnolman said:
First Post Tufnol
I have a large archive of images from Tufnol that will be disposed of shortly unless any one can take them. They are stored in several two drawer filing cabinets and a few large ledgers. THey can be viewed in Shrewsbury. If you have an interest please contact me on 07976290027. Thanks , Colin
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Have you offered them to Birmingham Central Library Archives - they will usually take large specific collections like this I believe?
 
Thanks Viv, it would be a great shame if they had to be cleared out, I saved them in 1988 and they have been stored in an outhouse ever since. There are 15 filing cabinet drawers containing images (negatives), each one about A5 size in black and white. Mr Trotman told me that Tufnol photographed every product they had made. I guesstimate that there about 10,000 images. There is also a card index but arranged by number and not subject unfortunately. They advertised extensively in many trade magazines covering all manufacturers. There are six large ledgers showing the advertisements from the early 1940s through the 1950s.
I am a founder member of the Plastics Historical Society and we helped save the Bakelite archives at Tyseley many years ago but my contacts from then are no longer around. The current financial climate isn't encouraging but if anyone has a good idea how we can save this archive, i would be very grateful.
 
tufnolman said:
Thanks Viv, it would be a great shame if they had to be cleared out, I saved them in 1988 and they have been stored in an outhouse ever since. There are 15 filing cabinet drawers containing images (negatives), each one about A5 size in black and white. Mr Trotman told me that Tufnol photographed every product they had made. I guesstimate that there about 10,000 images. There is also a card index but arranged by number and not subject unfortunately. They advertised extensively in many trade magazines covering all manufacturers. There are six large ledgers showing the advertisements from the early 1940s through the 1950s.
I am a founder member of the Plastics Historical Society and we helped save the Bakelite archives at Tyseley many years ago but my contacts from then are no longer around. The current financial climate isn't encouraging but if anyone has a good idea how we can save this archive, i would be very grateful.
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I think Mark has a very good suggestion in post #54. I would think they need to be digitized and preserved. If you have not I would follow up with Marks recomendation.
 
This separate thread is for the purpose of saving this archive. Hoping someone or an organisation can take over this large archive. If you can help or know of someone who can , please contact tufnolman as in post #1.

Thankyou.
 
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Colin, can we confirm if the archives are of Tufnol or Bill Switchgear please. You originally posted on the Bill Switchgear thread, but say the records are Tufnols. Just want to clarify please.
 
I am wondering if the ePapers Repository run by University of Birmingham may be able to help here? They look after the Phyllis Nicklin collection too. I am sure they will be interested in Birmingham’s industrial past as would History West Midlands.
 
Thanks Colin. Just out of interest, I wondered if the archive includes anything about George Ellison. As you'll know (extract from Tufnol's website):

Tufnol (from the two words, “tough phenol”) was invented by a team employed by George Ellison in the 1920s.

And by 1944 Ellisons changed their name to Tufnol - but not a name readily acknowledged, at least not by my dad !
 

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Morturn said:
I am wondering if the ePapers Repository run by University of Birmingham may be able to help here? They look after the Phyllis Nicklin collection too. I am sure they will be interested in Birmingham’s industrial past as would History West Midlands.
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A little off topic but Morts comment regarding Birminghams Industrial past: We have, many of us talked about the Science Museum on Newhall St., it seems to me (albeit from a distance) quite shocking that the city with the greatest industrial history on the planet does not have an active central repository for our/its history. One that can be seen and enjoyed by everyone.
I have traveled globally for my work as an engineer and there is not another place with such rich history in industry and commerce. It is sad that this history is not exploited and revealed where everyone can see and feel it!
My apologies for being off topic, I’ll get off my soap box, thank you for indulging!
 
Vivienne14 said:
Thanks Colin. Just out of interest, I wondered if the archive includes anything about George Ellison. As you'll know (extract from Tufnol's website):

Tufnol (from the two words, “tough phenol”) was invented by a team employed by George Ellison in the 1920s.

And by 1944 Ellisons changed their name to Tufnol - but not a name readily acknowledged, at least not by my dad !
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My aunt and uncle worked there most of their life, it was always Ellisons!
 
Wow, my dad would have loved to have seen those ! He was a Flight Engineer on Lancs during WW2. Or maybe he did see some of the photos having worked at Ellisons after the War. Afraid we'll never know, as he's no longer with us.
 
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